Efficient data recovery

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to locating and restoring backed up items using a custom schema and to efficiently transferring recovery data. In an embodiment, a computer system defines a schema that provides data search and retrieval among backup data sets. The schema stores searchable attributes for each database item and leverages a file system to store file system metadata for the data items of the backup sets. The computer system receives a request to find data items among the backup data sets and accesses the schema to determine, from the stored searchable attributes, which recovery points among the backup data sets include the requested data items. The computer system also restores the requested data items from the determined recovery point within the backup data sets.

1 . At a computer system including at least one processor and a memory, in a computer networking environment including a plurality of computing systems, a computer-implemented method for locating and restoring backed up items using a custom schema, the method comprising:
 an act of defining a schema configured to provide data search and retrieval among backup data sets, wherein the schema stores searchable attributes for each database item and leverages a file system to store file system metadata for the data items of the backup sets;   an act of receiving a request to find one or more data items among at least one of the backup data sets;   an act of accessing the schema to determine, from the stored searchable attributes, which recovery points among the backup data sets include the requested data items; and   an act of restoring the requested data items from the determined recovery point within the backup data sets.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the searchable attributes comprise at least an indication of the time the data portion was first stored in the backup set and the time the data portion was last accessed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a user interface using the schema displays a span of backup sets the data portion is part of. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface shows, for each data item, the first recovery point and last recovery point. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein file system metadata includes parent information and file name information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the parent information is only stored once for all files stored under the parent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the parent information and file name information are stored in separate tables. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the parent information includes a path that is split into two parts, the first of the two parts being limited in length to a predefined data length. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein one or more portions of extended information about child items are stored in an additional table, the additional table using a schema that is specific to the type of attributes stored and queried for, the extended information allowing for search and recovery functions that implement the extended information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein child item information is extended to add one or more specific child item properties based on the context of the child item's data source. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restored items include data files for an entire data volume. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the file system metadata is stored in a dataless virtual hard drive, the dataless virtual hard drive being configured to store data files created with their corresponding metadata and attributes, but without storing the actual data file's data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein during data recovery, the dataless virtual hard drive is mounted and file system application programming interfaces are implemented to extract the metadata for the data items that are to be recovered. 
     
     
         14 . A computer program product for implementing a method for efficiently transferring recovery data, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:
 an act of receiving from a user an indication of one or more backup data items which are to be recovered from a specified recovery point in a set of data backups;   an act of computing checksum data corresponding to each of the user-specified backup data items;   an act of comparing the computed checksum data of the user-specified backup data files to checksum data associated with data items already on the user's computer system to determine which segments of the backup data items are to be restored to the user;   an act of receiving from at least one of the data backups those backed up data items for which a checksum did not already exist on the user's computer system; and   an act of combining the received backup data items with the user's existing data items such that the user's data is fully recovered.   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the backup data and checksums are versioned. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein backup data is restored from a specified backup data version. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein only data which does not have a data block with the same checksum is downloaded to the user's computer system. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the backup data is restored to a location different than the original location from which the data was backed up. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the data recovery is resumable after a failure or cancellation. 
     
     
         20 . A computer system comprising the following:
 one or more processors;   system memory;   one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform a method for locating and restoring backed up items using a custom schema, the method comprising the following:
 an act of defining a schema configured to provide data search and retrieval among backup data sets, wherein the schema stores searchable attributes for each database item and leverages a file system to store file system metadata for the data items of the backup sets, and wherein the file system metadata is stored in a dataless virtual hard drive, the dataless virtual hard drive being configured to store data files created with their corresponding metadata and attributes, but without storing the actual data file's data; 
 an act of receiving a request to find one or more data items among at least one of the backup data sets; 
 an act of accessing the schema to determine, from the stored searchable attributes, which recovery points among the backup data sets include the requested data items; and 
 an act of restoring the requested data items from the determined recovery point within the backup data sets, wherein during data recovery, the dataless virtual hard drive is mounted and file system application programming interfaces are implemented to extract the metadata for the data items that are to be recovered.